Wagon-jack



(No Model.)

J. A. STAPLES.

WAGON JACK.

No. 560,048. PatentedMay 12, 1896.

WlTNESSES: INVETNTOR,

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JOHN A. STAPLES, OF NElVBURG, NEW YORK.

WAGON-JACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 560,048, dated May 12, 1896.

Application filed February 19, 1896. $erial No. 579,931. (No model.)

T0 (0 10710772, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OHN A. STAPLES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newburg, in the county of Orange and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wagon-Jacks, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, effective, and inexpensive wagonjack comprising but a single board or plate and obviating the necessity of using operating-handles and pawl-and-ratchet devices such as are employed in connection with jacks as now commonly manufactured.

I form my improved jack of a single plate or board formed with a rounded fulcrum portion at its lower forward end and a rearwardly inclined or sloping base and one or more notches or shoulders in the upper end, providing a stepped portion located in rear of the center of the fulcrum portion for engagement with a wagon-axle, so as to bring the center of gravity or weight to the rear of said center.

To lift the weight of a wagon off its wheels with this improved jack, it is only necessary to place the jack in forwardly-inclined position with one of the notches or shoulders in engagement with the wagon-axle and shove or pull the wagon over toward the jack, which will cause the jack to rock on its rounded fulcrum portion until it rests upon the inclined or sloping base portion. This action will elevate the wagon and throw the weight on the opposite side of the center of the fulcrum portion from which it was lifted.

In order that my invention maybe fully understood, I will first describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing, and then point out the novelty wit-h more particularity in the annexed claim.

Said drawing represents my improved jack in side elevation, showing its application.

1 is a board or plate forming my improved jack, having the cut-away or rounded fulcrum portion 2, located at its lower forward end, and the rearwardly inclined or sloping base portion 3, forming a continuation of the fulcrum 2, and the notches or shoulders 4: for engagement with the wagon-axle. It will be observed that the lowest shoulder or notch is within a perpendicular line extending above the forward edge of the inclined or sloping base 3, while the highest notch or shoulder is within a perpendicular line extending above the rear edge of the inclined base.

The operation has already been described and will be fully understood from the drawmg.

I am aware that it has been proposed to construct a jack with a wheel journaled in the lower front portion and a rearwardly-extending foot and operating-lever, the jack being designed to be placed into engagement with the axle in inclined position and by pressing downwardly and inwardly on the operatingarm be pushed forward into engagement with the wagon to elevate it. If the wagon is sufficiently heavy to resist the forward pressure of the jack or is held to prevent it moving away from the jack, this form of jack operates satisfactorily; but when a light wagon is engaged by it there is a tendency for the wagon to roll away from the jack. My improved ja-ck obviates this difficulty by doing away with the wheel and providing a simple rounded fulcrum portion. The necessity of the operating-handle is obviated because the wagon is elevated upon the jack by being pushed or pulled against the jack. The point of engagement of the fulcrum portion with the ground affords sufficient resistance to prevent the jack slipping away from the wagon while it is being elevated.

It is obvious that it will be necessary to make the jack from a board or plate sufficiently wide to provide for several notches at various heights for the engagement of the wagon-axle, such notches being within a perpendicular line extending from the front and rear edges of the inclined or sloping base portion.

I claim that I have produced an extremely simple and effective device which is more economical to construct than any jack heretofore suggested, and that I have incorporated all of the desirable features in a single integral piece and have eliminated a number of unnecessary parts and produced a practically perfect jack at a minimum cost.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A wagon-jack consisting of a single board 01' plate formed with an integral rounded fulcrum portion at its lower forward end which rounded fulcrum portion engages the ground when the device is in operation, and with a stepped portion at its upper end located in rear of the center of the fulcrum portion so as to bring the center of gravity or weight to the rear of said center; substantially as de scribed.

JOHN A. STAPLES.

Vitnesses:

HARRY E. KNIGHT, M. V. BIDGOOD. 

